TNA iMPACT!
Fayetteville, North Carolina (Crown Coliseum)
March 03, 2011
Commentators: Mike Tenay & Taz
Report by: Josh Boutwell of WrestleView.com
We are LIVE (well not really live actually) from Fayetteville, North Carolina as Impact is on the road for the first time since late 2008 when Impact was actually live from Las Vegas (the night Main Event Mafia formed). This is a huge event for TNA since it COULD be the start of TNA taking Impact on the road more often (maybe even every month) if it does well (reportedly there was a little over 3,000 paid in attendance). Also, it’s our chance to see Impact with a different audience and see how well it translates to TV.
We open up inside the arena as Dixie Carter is immediately making her way to the ring. TNA has a special stage set up that looks really good. It has 3 huge screens on the entrance area and the middle screen raises when someone comes from the back. I think they used it at Slammiversary or Bound for Glory one year (maybe last year). The crowd looks great. Dixie says she wants to thank the fans who have reached out to her the last few months and the fan support has meant the world to her. She says she he is here tonight to share with us the outcome of the legal proceedings and the ruling that came down this morning. She says things did not go as she hoped but she promises…Immortal’s music cuts her off.
Eric Bischoff leads Immortal out to the ring minus Hulk Hogan. Bischoff mocks her wiping away fake tears. Bischoff says when they agreed earlier today to let her come out and say goodbye to the fans that didn’t mean they wanted her to come out and try and do her PR spin and try to Twitter her way out of the reality. Bischoff says they’re very busy and they have a lot to do tonight and their time is more valuable than her. Bischoff says before she goes he wants to tell Dixie that he respects her, boos are coming in heavy now. He says he knows she is a woman in a man’s world, she has one massive set of balls. Flair walks over and asks if she is starting to understand where she is right now. He says it’s Flair Country and all the fans know had Dixie taken his room key “that night” in Orlando (when he debuted in TNA) then all of this could have been avoided and she would’ve been taken on a year long ride. Flair says instead she elects to text, tweet, e-mail, voice mail, whatever else she does because she thinks the fans will love her. Flair says the fans loving her “gets her off” but she says she doesn’t understand because “they” (the wrestlers) get the fans off and what gets him off is limousine riding, jet flying, kiss stealing, wheeling dealing! He says to do that you have to have money and to have money you have to have power and they wanted all of Dixie’s power. Flair reminds her that there is a Holiday Inn down the road and then introduces the man that now has all the power…HULK HOGAN!
Hogan finally makes his return to Impact as Dixie watches on. Hogan doesn’t seem to be in a ton of pain but he doesn’t seem to be moving all too well either. Hogan says he thinks it’s safe to say he now controls 100% of TNA after being in the courtroom with Dixie today. Hogan says TNA is all his from everything that happens in the ring to everything happens in the offices, he makes all the decisions and Dixie is just unemployed. He says somewhere along the way Dixie became delusional and everyone talks about Hogan being an egomaniac, but nobody believes their own hype more than Dixie. Hogan says when he thinks about the way Dixie spoon fed the fans, he and Eric used Dixie to get back on top. He says somewhere along the way Dixie forgot what her place in TNA is, she supplies the money and nothing more. He says this thing wasn’t about them being partners, he says it was about he and his real partner (Bischoff) using her to get back on top of wrestling. Hogan says they used her because she’s a weak women, and they used the whole Carter family. He says the only thing she has left is her dignity and they’re going to take that away too. He says Dixie has one thing left, all the fans but the fans that love her don’t have much to say about it. He says they don’t have a damn thing to say about it and he runs the company 100%.
Fortune’s new music hits and they make their way out onto the stage. They pose on top of the stage as Immortal looks heated. AJ says they can do this thing the easy way or the hard way and he says to be honest, they like doing the hard way. The fans are behind Fortune pretty well. AJ says there is a woman in the ring and Kaz takes the microphone and says that AJ’s not talking about Bischoff either when he says there is a woman in the ring. AJ says they care deeply about Dixie Carter, the lady that gave all four of the members of Fortune a shot in TNA. AJ tells Dixie to get out of the ring and she leaves as Fortune comes towards it. AJ walks her back up the ramp as Immortal wave goodbye to her. Roode grabs the mic and says he can’t believe that Hulk Hogan was the reason he became a Pro Wrestler. Roode says there is an old saying that you should never meet your idols because at the end of the day all they’re going to do is let you down. Roode says that statement couldn’t be any more true when it comes to Hogan. Flair interrupts Roode but Roode screams at him to shutup and Flair says now he’s talking to GOD! Flair tells Roode and Fortune to kiss Immortal’s ass and keep walking, but Roode says instead of kissing their asses they kick it! Fortune tries to get in the ring but security quickly gets between them. As security gets in between them Immortal start taunting them and talking trash.
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Back from the break Immortal is celebrating what just happened in the back when Bart Scott approaches them and daps it up with them in the back. Hogan tells Matt Hardy to break him in and Matt says this is his home state so whatever Bart wants he will get him. Hardy and Bart walk away and talk about what girls he wants. Matt then sees AJ and Kaz walking with Dixie. AJ & Kaz tell her to keep walking and then AJ & Kaz get in Matt & Scott’s face! Scott shoves Kaz into the wall and then they all start brawling! Kaz takes Scott on the ground and starts beating on him. Finally security comes and breaks them apart. We then see Jeff Jarrett and Karen walk by smiling.
A video package highlighting the drama with the Jarrett’s and Kurt is shown.
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In the back Bischoff is pissed because an executive from Spike “tells” him that Jeff Hardy is defending his title tonight. Bischoff says they won’t even tell Bischoff who the opponent is and he assumes it’s Anderson. Hogan says Spike better realize he runs things now but he tells Bischoff not to assume anything when it comes to the match because anything can and will happen this business. Bischoff says they need to be ready and Hogan says they will be.
TNA World Tag Team Championships
Beer Money Inc. (c) vs. Gunner & Murphy
Gunner & Murphy are already in the ring as the champs make their way out to the ring. Storm has broken out the Boozer Cruiser for the occasion! Beer Money gets in the ring but the challengers attack them and knock Roode out of the ring and double team Storm. Murphy whips Storm into a knee from Gunner and then he does it a second time. Murphy rakes Storm’s face across the top rope and then he tags in Gunner. Gunner beats on Storm in the corner with back elbows and then he tags Murphy back in. They grab Storm and whip him into the corner and then Murphy whips Gunner into a back elbow from Storm! Storm then nails Murphy with a Codebreaker! The fans are going nuts as Roode gets them pumped up! Hot tag to Roode! Roode takes out Gunner with right hands and then he attempts to whip him into the ropes, but Gunner reverses it. Roode explodes off the ropes with a Flying Forearm! Roode follows up with a clothesline and then a back elbow. Roode whips Gunner into the ropes and nails him with a Backdrop. Murphy comes after Roode with a clothesline attempt, but Roode ducks and lights up Murphy with chops. Roode attempts to whip Murphy into the corner but Murphy reverses it only to have Roode explode out of the corner with a huge Clothesline! Gunner attempts a clothesline of his own but Roode blocks it! Gunner nails Roode with repeated back elbows and then he comes off the ropes only to eat the Double-R Spinebuster! 1..2…NO Gunner kicks out and Murphy nails Roode with a Big Boot. Murphy holds Roode as Gunner goes for a clothesline but Roode gets out of the way and Gunner nails Murphy instead! Storm then levels Gunner with the Last Call! Beer Money grab Murphy and hit the Beer Money Double Suplex and the fans explode with the chant afterward. Beer Money then grab Gunner and hit the DWI! 1…2…3!
Winners & STILL Tag Champs: Beer Money via pinfall (DWI)
Directly after the match Ink, Inc. make their way out onto the stage. Shannon Moore says “welcome to North Cackalacky” (he’s from NC) and says these are his people, and this is his house. Moore holds up his Book of DILLIGAF and asks if they know what it means. He says if Beer Money doesn’t then I’m sure the fans do and then he says “DO I LOOK LIKE I GIVE A…” and the fans scream the rest. Moore says Chapter 13 of the Book of DILLIGAF says at Victory Road the marquee will read Beer Money vs. Ink, Inc. for the Tag Champs unless Beer Money is cowards. Storm says he doesn’t know if they think they’re talking to some rookies but there “is not bitch in this blood” and he says they’ll get their title shot because they’re the best tag team in the world. He does the “Beer Money” chant along with the fans and then the “sorry ’bout your damn luck” line.
In the back the Jarrett’s are talking about the wedding renewal when Eric Young opens the bathroom door (he’s on the toilet) and talks about being the Best Man. Jarrett says no and then he asks to be the Maid of Honor. He says he’ll be the ring bearer and Jarrett agrees. Jarrett and Karen then start making out.
Outside the arena the Jersey Shore chick arrives in a limo.
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Back from the break Kurt Angle arrives in the arena with his son.
We cut to the arena as Sarita is making her way into the ring.
Velvet Sky’s Career Match
Sarita w/Rosita vs. Velvet Sky w/Angelina Love
If Velvet loses she has to retire. No typical BP entrance her as Velvet gets right into the ring and into Sarita’s face. Sarita stops her and then taunts her but Velvet turns her around and Sarita shoves her. Velvet grabs her by the hair and then clotheslines her! Velvet goes for another clothesline but Sarita ducks and lifts Velvet up for a Back Suplex, but Velvet counters in midair with a Body Splash for a nearfall. Velvet kicks Sarita repeatedly and then attempts to whip her into the ropes but Sarita reverses it and then goes for a dropkick. Velvet avoids it and connects with a Wheelbarrow Armdrag. Velvet goes for another clothesline but Sarita lifts her up into the air only to have Velvet bounce off the top rope into a Jawbreaker! Rosita comes into the ring but Velvet kicks her and Angelina Love Spears her! Hebner throws them both out! Sarita shoves Velvet into the corner and connects with a nice Reverse DDT into a Backbreaker that she connects with 3 times. Sarita then slaps Velvet several times and mocks her. Velvet sets up for the Tiger Bomb but Velvet counters into a DDT! 1…2…3!
Winner: Velvet via pinfall (DDT)
Angelina Love comes back out and celebrates with Velvet, but The Shore cut them off. Cookie, Robbie, and Angelina Pivarnick come out. Cookie reminds BP of when they brought their “fake friend” JWoww to Impact a few months ago and Robbie actually hilariously trips going down the ramp. Cookie says now she has backup, the real star of Jersey Shore, Angelina. Cookie says Angelina has a message that she wants BP to give to JWoww. The Shore get into the ring and Angelina tells the fans to shutup. She says it figures that BP would hang out with JWoww because it takes a slut to know a slut. Angelina says she wants JWoww on Impact next week to battle her in a match “Jersey Shore style.” Velvet says she doesn’t know what street corner Angelina just came from but if she wants to say something to JWoww then she should go say it to JWoww’s face. Velvet says the BP have a celebration to attend to so The Shore need to get out of their faces. Velvet starts to do her entrance as an exit but Angelina kicks her in the ass. BP attacks Angelina & Cookie but Sarita comes back in and attacks BP. The Shore and Sarita leave BP laid out.
Angelina Love picks up the microphone and says if Sarita wants to play with the Beautiful People then next week she should bring the “fact Cookie” and the “Jersey hooker” to Impact they’ll have a 6-Knockouts Tag Match. Who will team with BP?
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Back from commercials Mr. Anderson is in the back and he thinks he gets a title shot tonight. He says the network understand they made a mistake by giving RVD the title shot last time. Anderson says nice guys finish last and sometimes good things to happen to assholes.
Eric Young approaches Orlando Jordan in the back and Young tells him that Jeff made him the best man and Jordan is the flower girl. Young acts like he lost Jarrett’s ring and then he says Jordan stole it and attacks Jordan. Jordan tells him to get off him and asks Young if he checked his shoe. Young takes off his shoe and it was there. He says that was a test and Jordan is still his best friend.
Flair approaches Jarrett in his room and Flair asks Jarrett about the Honeymoon and Jarrett guarantees Flair that he’ll never have a Honeymoon like they’ll have. He says they’re going to have VIP passes to the Harry Potter ride at Universal Studios. Flair asks why Jarrett doesn’t just bring his mother-in-law along and kill himself. Oh my god that was priceless. Flair gives him a lesson on what he should be doing on the Honeymoon.
Angle is taping his hands in the back and Angle has somebody to watch his kid for awhile.
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In the back Hogan is talking to SpikeTV trying to get Hardy out of the title match. It isn’t working. He says they should surprise the fans, not Spike surprising him. Hogan hangs up and he’s not happy.
The wedding renewal is up next. Jordan is wearing a black dress as the flower girl and that halfwit Eric Young is wearing the old title belt and a tuxedo shirt. The fans gave little reaction to anything until Jeff Jarrett came out and they booed him pretty mercilessly but Angle attacks him from behind immediately! Angle beats Jarrett right back up the ramp and almost into the Wedding Cake but Jarrett is able to stop himself. Angle beats on Jarrett until Jarrett pokes him into the eyes only to get clotheslined from Angle again! Angle points to the cake and the fans erupt. Karen runs out and jumps onto Kurt’s back but he flings her off. She pitches a fit and then slaps Kurt but Kurt grabs her by the head and shoves her face-first into the cake! Kurt smiles as Karen freaks out and Jeff checks on her! Kurt licks the cake off his fist as the fans cheer for him.
In the back Hogan asks Jeff to promise him nomore Ladder Matches and that is something they can control. Hogan says one thing they can’t control is Spike wants him to defend the belt again. Jeff says that’s fine and Hogan says he can’t get the network to tell him who he’s wrestling. Hogan says the network thinks a big surprise will bring big ratings. Jeff isn’t happy about being expected to defend the title against a surprise opponent. Hogan says if he knew who it was he was set them up and leave them laying beside a 7/11 or something. Jarrett says he’ll handle it for Hogan and Hogan says they wanted Jeff to lead Immortal.
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Back from the break they show replays of Kurt screwing up the wedding and then we cut to the back where Jarretts are freaking out. Bischoff tells them to stop and then he says the wedding will happen and Jarrett says it better tonight. They walk off and Bischoff says he hates wedding. Hogan walks in and asks if Bischoff has any idea who the network is sending and he has no idea. Hogan asks if Bischoff is thinking it’s the same person he’s thinking and Bischoff says he’s trying not to and they hope it’s not “him.” Flair says he’ll handle the wedding crap.
“The Freak” Rob Terry vs. “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner
Terry attacks Steiner as he comes into the ring and starts to beat him down. Terry attempts to whip Steiner into the ropes but Steiner reverses it and nails Terry with a back elbow. Steiner kicks Terry and then connects with a T-Bone Suplex! Steiner follows up with a clothesline that sends Terry out of the ring as we get a nice wide shot to see the whole crowd. Steiner then tries to slam Terry into the ring post but Terry blocks it and slams Steiner into it. Terry then lifts Steiner up and slams him into the ring post again and then rolls him back into the ring. Terry puts the boots to Steiner and then picks him up and connects with a Powerslam. 1…2…NO Steiner kicks out. Terry then whips Steiner into the corner and charges but Steiner gets his boot up and then connects with a Belly-to-Belly Suplex! Steiner follows up with the Steiner Flatliner! Steiner then waits for Terry to get to his feet and connects with the Steinerline! He follows up with an Elbow Drop for a nearfall before he stop and does a few pushups. Steiner lifts Terry up and on to the top rope. Steiner climbs up and connects with a Super Samoan Drop off the top! Steiner then locks in the Steiner Recliner! Terry almost immediately taps out.
Winner: Steiner via submission (Steiner Recliner)
In the back Ric Flair approaches Kurt Angle with Bart Scott alongside him. Angle shakes Scott’s hand and says he’s a big fan but Scott asks Flair who the hell Angle is. Flair says he’s the guy that thinks he’s the biggest bad ass of wrestling. Flair says after what Angle did he decided to go get himself an Enforcer for the wedding later and if Angle gets involved again he’ll have a problem and that problem is called Bart Scott. Scott gets in Angle’s face and says he’s a lot smaller in person and then laughs and walks away.
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Joe Warren, an All-American amateur wrestler at Michigan and current Bellator Featherweight Champion in MMA, is at the announce table and this guy can’t talk for crap. It’s like TNA is trying to get as many B celebrities on this show as they can. You’re on the same channel as UFC, you can’t get a freaking UFC fighter? I’ve never even heard of Bellator.
“Super Mex” Hernandez vs. “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan
Hernandez gets some pretty good heat as he comes out to the ring. Hernandez is back to the L.A.X. theme music. Hernandez goes for a clothesline as Morgan gets into the ring but Morgan ducks and connects with one of his own. Morgan puts the boots to Hernandez in the corner and then he chokes him in the corner with his boot. Morgan whips Hernandez into the opposite corner and connects with a Splash followed by a Sidewalk Slam! 1…2…NO Hernandez kicks out! Hernandez rolls out of the ring and says he’s done with this and starts to leave. Morgan follows him out and stops him on the ramp and beats on him at ringside. Morgan headbutts Hernandez and then tosses him back into the ring. Hernandez begs Morgan off and offers a handshake but Morgan kicks him in the face! Morgan goes for a Scoop Slam but Hernandez blocks it and pokes Morgan in the eyes. Hernandez wraps his shirt around Morgan’s neck but Morgan blocks the Biel Throw! Morgan picks up the shirt and Biel Throws Hernandez into the opposite corner with it! Morgan nails Hernandez with the Back Elbows in the corner as the fans are getting behind him. Morgan clotheslines Hernandez over the top to the floor. Morgan climbs out to the floor and Hernandez begs him off again and this time he grabs Morgan by the tights and flings him into the ring steps. Hernandez throws him into the ring steps again repeatedly as the referee counts them both out.
Winner: DOUBLE COUNTOUT
Morgan is busted open as the bell rings. Hernandez taunts him and then starts screaming at the referee.
In the back Hogan is screaming at someone at Spike to find out who the hell Jarrett is facing. Hogan tells someone to send Mr. Anderson into his office. Anderson comes in and Hogan says he doesn’t like him and Anderson doesn’t like him either. Anderson says that’s for sure and Hogan says he hates Anderson, but when Anderson walks into the room he smells money. Hogan says the network told him that he doesn’t get his title shot. Anderson is pissed and asks why he keeps getting screwed. Anderson says he doesn’t give a crap what happens to Immortal and his job is to become TNA World Heavyweight Champion. He says because of Hogan’s boys Jeff has that belt. Hogan sits down and he says he’s sitting down because he doesn’t want to put his hand through Anderson’s head. Anderson dares him to do it. Hogan says the thing with Hardy isn’t going down tonight and then he picks up his back brace and says nothing between he and Anderson is happening either. Anderson asks if that’s a back brace and Hogan says “oh, you’re smart too?” Anderson says he never thought in a million years that he would say this, “you disgust me.” He walks away and Hogan screams at him to let him know the next time Anderson slams a 700 lb. giant and calls him an asshole.
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They run a promo for some stupid new show on Spike that no one will watch.
They are going to try the wedding again here. Young and Jordan come out and do their thing again. Jarrett gets more boos. Kurt is actually walking Karen down the ramp. Karen still has some cake on her as she walks down the ramp and Kurt is kind of snickering as he walks her down the ramp. Kurt is still smirking as he stands beside Jarrett. When the preachers asks for anyone that objects to speak now or forever hold your peace, pretty much the whole crowd boos. Jarrett craps on Angle when he does his vows but Angle smiles the whole time. Karen craps on Kurt too as she says her vow and Kurt still continues to smile. Is he high? Young lost the ring again and finds it in his shoe again. God, I wish I had a fast forward for live TV.
Kurt finally asks if we’re done and then he says thank you and pushes over the podium exposing an axe under it! Everyone bails out of the ring as Kurt starts destroying the entire wedding set with the axe. Tenay points out that he was good on his word, he waited until after the ceremony to mess everything up. Kurt smiles as he has destroyed everything in the ring. Bischoff brings Bart Scott out to the ring. Scott gets into the ring and gets into Kurt’s face. He shoves Kurt and then shoves him again! Kurt starts to leave but Scott turns him around and pie faces him! Angle takes Scott down and puts him in the Ankle Lock! Scott taps out repeatedly as Taz screams for Angle to let him go or he’ll screw up the Jets defense for next year. Tenay with the line of the night, “does that look familiar Tazz? The Jets defense has been tapping out since 1969!”
In the back Jeff talks about the surprise opponent and he’s Jeff f*cking Hardy so he’ll walk out the champ.
A limo arrives in the parking lot and Tenay wonders who it is.
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Jeff has a pretty cool entrance tonight and gets a surprising amount of boos (I figured they would cheer him still because its NC and if this was the Impact Zone they definitely would still cheer him). The same 03.3.11 graphic appears on the screen as last week and then some lightning strikes on the screen and finally STING’s music hits! The crowd pops pretty huge for Sting. Hardy’s face was priceless as Sting’s face appears.
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
Jeff Hardy (c) vs. “The Icon” Sting
Sting has some new gear and modified face paint. He has a red streak on the paint and he’s wearing a red and gold ring jacket along with having red and gold on the tights. He’s no longer wearing a shirt over his gear either. The gear looks kind of like a cross between the old surfer Sting gear and the crow Sting. Tenay and Taz point out how Sting has been gone from TNA for months so he wouldn’t have to deal with Immortal. Taz also points out all the rumors about Sting over the last several weeks. Sting looks to be in pretty good shape but I guess we will see just how good. Sting drags Hardy into the ring and clotheslines him! He then immediately goes for the Scorpion Death Lock but Hardy quickly crawls out of the ring. Hardy climbs back in the ring and kicks Sting as they go for a lockup and then he beats on Sting’s back and throws him into the corner. Hardy puts the boots to Sting and then calls for a Suplex but Sting blocks it and then takes Hardy down and locks in the Scorpion Death Lock! Hardy fights it and gets to the ropes to break the hold. Hardy rolls out of the ring again and sells the leg. Hardy decides to leave ringside but Sting follows him and starts kicking the injured leg and then he Suplexes Hardy on the ramp! Sting drags Hardy back to the ring and throws him into the guardrail! He then drags Hardy to the other side and throws him into another guardrail. Sting then goes for a Stinger Splash but Hardy moves and Sting eats the guardrail. Hardy slams Sting into the ring steps and then he rolls Sting back into the ring. Hardy taunts his home crowd and then hit’s a Leg Drop and locks in a Headlock. Sting fights to his feet and breaks the hold with back elbows but Hardy cuts him off and goes for the Twist of Hate! Sting shoves Hardy into the ropes but Hardy bounces off and nails Sting with a right hand. Hardy hits a few more but Sting shrugs them off and gets fired up! He beats his chest and connects with strikes on Hardy repeatedly. Sting kicks Hardy and then connects with the Bulldog! Sting follows up with the Scorpion Death Drop! 1….2…NO Hardy kicks out! Hardy drags himself into the corner where Sting goes for the Stinger Splash! Hardy moves out of the way and then connects with a Back Elbow! Hardy climbs up top for Whisper In The Wind but Sting crotches him and then hits a disgusting Scorpion Death Drop off the top! Sting drags Hardy to the center of the ring, picks him up, and hits another Scorpion! 1…2…3! NEW CHAMPION!
Winner & NEW World Champ: Sting via pinfall (Scorpion Death Drop)
Sting eats up the reaction from the crowd as he celebrates with that ugly belt.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Okay, before I get into what I thought of the show (which won’t be too pleasant) I have to say okay, step one we’ve gotten Impact on the road! Now we have to do it more often (and there are rumors that they will be doing it once a month) but damn it, it’s got to be live. How much more of an impact (no pun intended) would it have had if this show was live (and without the dumb 03-03-11 video)? Anyway the crowd was great, it looked so much better on tv (and sounded so much better) with the wide crowd shots, and the crowd was hype all night. Now onto the show.
Tonight was about as disappointing as it possibly could have been in my opinion. TNA had a shot to do something big here and put on an awesome show, in front of a new crowd but they threw out a stinker for the most part. The longest match of the night was the Main Event and it barely went 10 minutes. We had too many skits, some not even called for. It was like they just wanted to cram as many minor celebrities onto the show as they could to try and get some pub (which they did with Bart Scott & the Jersey shore chick at least) but what will do for you in the long run? The few people that tune into to see the Angelina chick MIGHT watch next week to see her again, but never again because they’re not wrestling fans. The Jets fans that tune into to see Scott will only tune in again if they were already TNA fans. And no one cares about the MMA guy. That was just dumb.
The opening segment with Immortal and Dixie sucked, that’s as blunt as I can get. The whole court thing has been dumb. Why we can’t just do it the old fashioned way and have a Dixie’s team versus Hulk’s team, winning team gives control of the company to Hulk or Dixie (which I still hold out hope that Lethal Lockdown this year will have that stipulation and we can move the hell on), but Fortune saved it for me. The crowd was pumped for them and got behind them quickly. Sadly we only saw AJ again in a stupid, pointless brawl with Matt Hardy & Bart Scott that led to nothing.
The Tag Titles Match was average but man was the crowd into Beer Money and Robert Roode’s intensity has been awesome since the babyface turn. He’s showing that perfect babyface fire.
Velvet-Sarita was beyond disappointing. All these months of back and forth between these two with Sarita dominating and now Velvet wins in an uninspiring 2 minute match. I mean really?! The match meant absolutely nothing as they went right into the Jersey shore crap. Absolutely mind blowingly awful booking.
The first wedding skit was actually funny because it was short and to the point. They screw it up by doing it a second time and having it unbelievably drawn out and long. Had they just crammed both together and trimmed it up a bit it would have been fine. But we had to sit through about 10 minutes of boring talking from the preacher (rather than you know an actual WRESTLING match we could have had in that time). The Bart Scott-Angle stuff was decent fun and its hilarious how much drama that little bit got for Scott because it was really nothing. He was in no real danger of being injured there. Jets are just being babies.
Steiner-Terry was actually shockingly entertaining for a short little match. Primarily because Terry just did a couple little power spots and let Steiner do all of his usual spots which are impressive to see done to a huge guy. The fans were really into Steiner which helped as well. Terry needs to be off my TV but it just seems like TNA has no idea what to do with Steiner with the MEM thing falling through.
Morgan-Hernandez did what it needed, gave Hernandez more heat.
Anderson was good in his backstage skits but there were just too many of them.
Sting-Hardy was okay, but for a World Title Match that is an unbelievably short match and very disappointing. Plus, Sting comes back and his first match he wins the belt? Why? What’s the point? I know Sting was a integral part of the original “They” angle but this just feels like “hey Sting had a lot of buzz with people thinking he would be at WrestleMania so lets put him on TV and put the belt on him!” Where do you go from here? Sting vs. Jeff Hardy angle? Okay, that leaves the Hardy-RVD and Hardy-Anderson feuds both still just waving in the air. I love Sting as much as anyone but I don’t think anyone really believes Sting can still go at this point. He needs wrestlers to carry him and unless this thing is going to end in Sting putting over a young guy huge on PPV, it’s pointless.
We got nothing from the X-Division (which supposedly they are rebuilding, yeah sure), little to nothing in the ring, and a bunch of skits that didn’t even happen in the ring where you had a hot crowd. They really dropped the ball here. I just hope next time is better which is supposedly going to be next month in Kentucky. Again, the crowd was great, it was so much better than that lousy, rinky dink Impact Zone and they were hot. Plus, the set was amazing as well. Just give us more meat on the bone TNA! This isn’t the end of the world and I’m not turning in my “TNA fan” card or anything like that, I’m sure there are enough fans melting down out there right now (probably on Twitter), but it needs to improve next time out.
– Promo/Segment of the Night: Angle throwing Karen into the cake
– Match of the Night: Sting vs. Hardy (**)
– Overall Grade: D
Scheduled for Next Week:
– Samoa Joe vs. The Pope
– The Beautiful People & TBA vs. Cookie, Angelina, & Sarita
Victory Road Lineup:
-TNA Tag Team Titles: Beer Money (c) vs. Ink, Inc.